Islamist militants killed Lebanon minister: Report

Beirut, July 7: Lebanese investigators have concluded that al Qaeda-inspired militants killed a Christian Lebanese minister late last year, a Lebanese newspaper reported today.

An-Nahar daily said results of the investigation into the Nov 21 assassination of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel would be made public soon and would show proof against Fatah al-Islam militants.

It gave little other details and there was no comment on the report from the authorities or the group.

Gemayel was gunned down while driving in a Christian suburb of Beirut. The country's ruling coalition, to whom Gemayel's Phalange Party belongs, accused Damascus of his killing. Syria denied any links.

Lebanon has been hit by a wave of assassinations and bombings since late 2004. A UN investigation team, set upafter the 2005 killing of ex-premier Rafik al-Hariri, is looking into the attacks.

The UN Security Council set up last month a special court to try any indicted suspects.

Lebanese troops are battling Fatah al-Islam militants at a refugee camp in north Lebanon since May 20. More than 200 people have been killed in the fighting at Nahr al-Bared.

Lebanese investigators found a car suspected of being used in Gemayel's murder last month during a crackdown against militants across the north, security sources have said.

The authorities had blamed Fatah al-Islam for a twin bus bombings in a Christian area near Beirut on February 13, killing three civilians. The group has denied any links.

The anti-Syrian government says the group is nothing more than a tool of Syrian intelligence. Damascus and Fatah al-Islam denies this. The group says it agrees with the ideology of al Qaeda, though it has no organisational ties to it.

Some of its members, mainly Lebanese, Palestinians, Syrians and Saudis, have fought in Iraq.

REUTERS

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